Royal Soldier

Mental Health Seminar

Harry's Pov:

Today my team and I have the day off and I am really happy because I haven't had a day off since I was forced to take 3 weeks off to recover after being captured and tortured by the Taliban.

Today I wanted to watch movies and drink beer but that plan was scrapped because I have to go to a mental health seminar with William and I have to take part in the panel.

I got out of bed and put on my uniform and my medals and grabbed my hat and walked out the door and saw William standing by the car waiting for me dressed in his typical blue suit.

" Morning William." I tell William hugging him

" Good Morning Harry." William tells me

" Are you ready for this?" William asks me

" No. But let's get this over with." I tell William

William and I get into the car and drive 30 minutes to the location where the seminar is being held.

After we arrive at the location where the seminar is being held William and I step out of our car and walk towards the man waiting to welcome us.

After talking to a lot of injured veterans and their families it is time for the panel portion of the event.

The man who will asking the climbs up onstage as everyone takes their seats.

" Good morning everyone. I am Oliver Doyle and I am going to be the one asking the questions to our panel. Let's get started." Oliver tells us

Oliver calls 2 wounded soldiers to the stage and they take their seats and then Oliver calls my name and I go to the stage and take my seat.

After a few short minutes of easy questions 3rd he questions start to get a little bit more personal.

" Harry, You are a Captain in the British army and have served 2 tours in Afghanistan. You were ambushed in Afghanistan during your 1st deployment there in 2008 and you carried 2 injured soldiers back to the base and during your 2nd deployment as an Apache gunner you and your co-pilot were shot down by the Taliban and were taken hostage by the Taliban and we're tortured for information. You would think that you would have some mental health issues after enduring what you have. Have you ever struggled with your mental health?" Oliver asks me

" Yes. I have struggled with my mental health since I came home after my 1st deployment but it was always flashbacks that were so vivid you would think that you were there but especially after my last deployment I have struggled. After I came home I would lock myself inside my house and when my friends would invite me out I would turn them down and I would tell myself that what I was doing the way I was living wasn't healthy and I needed to get help. I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress and have had vivid flashbacks followed by a panic or anxiety attacks but I am getting the help that I need and I don't think that there is anything wrong for asking for help especially when you need it." I tell Oliver

" Harry, When you were being held by the Taliban why did you get yourself out?" Oliver asks me

" The reason why I freed myself was because I knew the area that we crashed was stronghold Taliban territory and it would've been way too dangerous to send anyone in to rescue me." I tell Oliver

" How did you escape?" Oliver asks me

" I was held captive by the Taliban for 3 days and during that time I memorized their patterns of when they would check on their prisoners and I also memorized every inch of my cell so when I had the chance to get out I untied my hands and feet and I found the weakest part of my cell and I crawled out and I ran." I tell them

" Did they know who you were?" Oliver asks me

" No." I tell them

" Who was the first person you told about suffering from your mental health?" Oliver asks me

" It was actually William. After I came home from Afghanistan he could tell that I was struggling and I wasn't acting like myself so he decided to come over to my house and come inside and I was at my kitchen table listening to music on my phone with headphones in and I was taking my guns apart cleaning them and putting them back together and he comes and taps my shoulder well I swing into defense army mode and I take my loaded just cleaned rifle that was on safe and I point it at him and once I realized that it was him I put the gun down and asked him if he had a deathwish and he immediately asked me what was going on if I was okay and I told him that I was diagnosed and that I was struggling but also told him that I was getting help." I tell Oliver

" How long did you struggle in silence before you realized that you needed help?" Oliver asks me

" From the week after I was captured and tortured by the Taliban until the day that I asked for help. It was a difficult decision because as someone in the military I don't want to be looked at any differently than I was before and I was initially afraid that if I asked for help I would be looked at differently because I am struggling with something that can't be seen." I tell Oliver

" You and your brother are incredibly close. Who brought up the conversation?" Oliver asks me

" He did. One day I was home and he walked in unannounced and was like 'you are not acting normal. What's wrong?' and I knew he wasn't going to leave me alone until I told him what was going on." I tell Oliver

" Do you regret signing up for the army after everything you've been through and are going through currently?" Oliver asks me

" No. I don't regret my decision to join the army. Yes. I have been through a lot and I will never be same person mentally as who I was before the army but I don't regret my decision." I tell Oliver

" When you got back home after your last deployment how did your family handle it?" Oliver asks me

" After I got home I went to see my family and William hugged me to tight and it hurt my ribs and I reacted and he wouldn't hug me until my ribs were 100% healed." I tell Oliver

" How long did it take for your ribs to heal?" Oliver asks me

" 3 months longer than they should have but that is also partially my fault because I was supposed to take 3 weeks ordered rest but within a week and a half I was back in an Apache again after a lot begging and pleading and scrunching up my ribs so I could get into the aircraft probably didn't help matters much but I was there to do a job and I didn't want to be pulled from doing it because of some busted up ribs." I tell Oliver

After a while of answering more questions it was over and William and I climbed into our car and headed home.

" You did good today little brother." Will tells me once we pull up to my place

" Thanks, Will." I tell him

I get out of the car and go to my front completely surrounded by my team of security and I go unlock and open my front and I wait outside with 2 of the guys from my team of personal security while the other 3 clear the house.

After everything is deemed safe I go inside and lock my door and go upstairs and change out of my uniform and get a shower get dressed in comfortable clothes and go downstairs and fix myself something to eat while I drink a cold beer and spend the rest of my day relaxing.